Braking means



Aug. 19 1924.

c. w. HELTMAN v BRAKI NG MEANS Filed July 22, 1921 INVENTOR FIG.

FIG- 4.

CW. HeHmmq,

Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CURG W. HELTMAN, OF INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAFETY MINE CAR BRAKE COMPANY, OF INDIANA, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKING MEANS.

Application filed July 22,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CURG W. HELTMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indiana, in the county of Indiana and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Braking Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to braking means, and more particularly to braking means specially adapted for use in connection with mine cars. 7

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide simple and eflicient means .for braking a mine car operated by a lever mounted u on one end of the car and connected to the brake blocks in such manner that movement of the lever in either direc tion beyond central position will applythe brakes. A further object is to provide means for holding the brake blocks in proper alignment with the wheels of the car while permitting movement of the blocks into and out of operative position. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1'is a side view of a mine car of standard type with braking means constructed in accordance with my invention applied;

Figure 2 is an end view of the car showing the operating lever and associated parts;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail of one of the brake blocks and associated parts;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through one of the brake blocks, the associated parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of one of the 7 brake blocks and associated parts;

' wheels I) of the car.

Figure 6 is a detail plan view of the adjusting rack for the operating lever.

Two substantially U-shaped brackets 1 are secured to each side of the car A and carry vertically disposed guide rods 2 secured through the arms of the brackets. These rods pass through brake block 3 which is positioned above and in alignment with Expansion springs 4 are mounted about each of the rods 2 and are confined between block .3 and the lower arms of the brackets. These springs serve to normally hold the block 3 in raised position.

Angle brackets 5 are secured to the upper faceof block 3 and support an upper bar 1921. Serial NO. 486,821.

6 secured through the vertical arms of brackets 5. A roller 7 is positioned below bar 6 and has its end portions slidable in grooves 8 formed in block 3 and communicating with the ends of recess 9. A bow spring 10 is positioned beneath roller 7 and co-operates with an expansion coil spring 11 which is positioned beneath the central portion of spring 10 and is seated in a recess 12 in block 3, to normally hold the roller 7 raised.

An operating shaft 13 is rockably mounted in suitable bearing books 14: at each side of car A. This shaft is provided at its forward end with an outwardly directed finger 15 which projects between bar 6 and roller 7 At its rearward end shaft 13 is provided with an ang'ularly disposed and downwardly directed arm 17 which is normally pressed outwardly by a leaf spring 18 secured to the rearward end of car A at 19 and passing above a stop pin 20.

An operating lever 21 is pivoted intermediate its ends at 22 on the back of car A. Upper links 23 are pivotally secured at their outer ends, at 24:, to arms 17 of shafts 13, and are secured by pin and slot connections 25 to lever 21 above the pivot 22 thereof. Lower links 26 also have their outer ends pivotally secured to arms 17 at 24, the inner ends of links 26 being secured to lever 21 below the pivot thereof by pin and slot connections 27. By this arrangement, when lever 21 is swung in either direction away from central position the brake blocks 3 will be depressed so as to be forced into tight contact with wheels Z) thus braking the car. In applying the brakes the springs 10 and 11 provide compensating means so as to insure that both blocks will be applied with substantially equal pressure. It is to be noted that by providing the upper and lower links connected to the lever and the operating shafts in the manner plying or releasing the brakes, the links are subjected to tension only, thus permitting comparatively light material to be used and avoiding possibility of bending or breakage of parts.

For securing lever 21 in adjustment I provide a rack plate 28 having a central slot 29 through which the lever extends, the plate being provided at opposite sides of its longitudinal center with oppositely directed racks described, in ap- 30 which co-operate with detent plates 31 secured to the opposite side of lever 21 for locking the lever in adjustment. Normally the lever 21 will be held in central position by the raising of blocks 3 by springs 4t, and by the outward movement of arms 17 by springs 18. As will be appreciated the springs 18 may, if desired, be omitted, springs 4 serving to raise blocks 3 and hold lever 21 in central position.

In practice, and as indicated above, it may be found desirable to resort to changes in construction and arrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims in this ap, plioation in which the preferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

What I claim is z 1. In braking means, in combination with I a car, brake blocks positioned adjacent to the wheels of the car, an operating lever mounted on the car, means-for causing movement of the blocks away from the wheels, and connections between said lever and the blocks and acting through tension only for forcing the blocks toward the wheelsv when the lever is rocked in either direction away from central position and for releasing said blocks when the lever is rocked toward central position.

2. In braking means, in combination with a car, shafts rockably mounted on the car, brake blocks positioned adjacent to the wheels of said car, operating connections ll between said shafts and the blocks an operating lever, means for causing movement of the blocks away from the wheels, and operat ing connections between said lever and the shafts and acting through tension only for rocking said shafts in braking direction when the lever is moved in either direction away from central position and in brake releasing direction when the lever is moved toward central position,

3,. In braking means, in combination with a car, shafts rockably mounted on the car, brake blocks positioned adjacent to the wheels of said" car, operating connections between said shafts and the blocks, an operating lever, means for causing movement of the blocks away from the wheels, and links connecting said lever and the shafts, the shafts and the links and'the lever being so related and connected as to subject the links to pull and rock the shafts. in brake applying direction when the lever is rocked in either direction away from central position and release the blocks when said lever is, rocked toward central position.

i; In braking means, in combination with a car, brake blocks positioned above and between the wheels of the car, means for supporting the blocks for vertical movement and for normally holding the blocks raised, operating shafts rockably mounted on the sides of the car and provided at theirforward ends with outwardly projecting fingers, the blocks being provided with elements positioned to contact with the fingers of the shafts when the same are rocked downwardly and outwardly for depressing the blocks, said shafts being provided at their rearward ends with depending arms, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the rearward end of the car, an upper pair of links connected by pin and slot connections at their inner ends tothe lever above the pivot thereof, and a lower pair of links connected by pin and slot connections at their inner ends to the lever below the pivot thereof, said links being piv otally secured at their outer ends to the arms of the respective shafts. v

5'. In brakingmeans, in combination witha car, brake blocks positioned above and be= tween the wheels of the car,- means for holding the blocks in alignment with the wheels while permitting vertical movement of the on the sides of the car, operating connections between said shafts and the blocks, said: connections including members positioned and adapted'to act as equalizers when the blocks, are applied to the wheels, an operating lever,

blocks, operating shafts rockably mounted and operating connections between said lever and the shafts. I

6. In braking-means, in combination with a car, brake blocks supported above the wheels of the car, vertically spaced members carried by each block the lower one offsaid members'having independent vertical move- 9 ment, means for normally holding said lower member raised, I shafts rookably mounted on the sidesof the car and-provided with angularly disposed elementsprojectingbetween said vertically spaced members, an operatinglever, and operating con nections between said lever and the shafts.

7. In braking means, in combination with a car, vertically disposed guide rods, brake blocks mounted on said rods in alignment with and above the wheels of the car, each of said blocks being. provided with two Vertically spaced members, the lower one of said members being resiliently held in raised position, rockably mounted operating shafts provided with angularly disposed elements projecting between said'members, and means for rocking said shafts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signaure. I

OURG w. HELTMAN. 

